BOISE, Idaho — After spending all night doing the dirty work on defense, Trevon Hughes got a more glamorous role at the end: Shooter of the crazy, spinning, bank shot with the game on the line.
Otherwise known as the game-winner for Wisconsin.
Hughes’ twisting shot over Florida State’s outstretched arms dropped with two seconds left in overtime to lift the Badgers to a 61-59 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
Next up for 12th-seeded Wisconsin (20-12) is a meeting with Xavier in the second round of the East Regional.
It’s doubtful the Badgers or Hughes will face a tougher test than what they had in Seminoles star Toney Douglas, the under- appreciated guard who averages 21 points and led the fifth-seeded Seminoles (25-10) to their first tournament appearance in 11 years.
Douglas finished with 26 points, not a single one of them easy, thanks to Hughes’ huge defensive work.
Douglas’ 3-point shot with 1:16 left gave the Seminoles a 59-56 lead but, smothered by the Wisconsin defense, he missed another one that would have put it away with less than 10 seconds to go.
That set the stage for Hughes, who had the ball all the way after a timeout, trailing by one with 8.3 seconds left. He dribbled left, spun right into the lane, then flipped the game- winner over Douglas and Chris Singleton. Drew contact, too, and made the free throw for a three-point play to make it 61-59.
If that wasn’t enough, Hughes capped things by batting away Florida State’s desperation pass at the end, and the Badgers mobbed him at halfcourt to celebrate the victory.
Jason Bohannon led Wisconsin with 16 points, including a 3-pointer with the shot clock going off for 52-50 lead with 55 seconds left in regulation.
Keaton Nankivil had 14, and Hughes and Marcus Landry had 10 each for Wisconsin.
Douglas had to work hard for every shot — had to work just to get the ball most of the time — thanks to the smothering done by Hughes and Jordan Taylor, who also took turns on the FSU star.
He finally shook free midway through the second half, scored nine of his team’s 11 points during a stretch that turned a one-point deficit into a 44-37 lead.
But Wisconsin, which had been down as many as 12 points at halftime, wouldn’t quit.
Bohannon hit a 3-pointer with 2:24 left to put the Badgers ahead 49-48. Later came his heave from about 25 feet that made it 52-50.
Douglas, however, answered with two free throws, and the game was headed to overtime.
No. 1 seed Pitt avoids making dubious history
DAYTON, Ohio — Pittsburgh intends to make history in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Panthers almost did in their first game.
Playing as a No. 1 seed for the first time but hardly looking the part, Pitt overcame a sloppy performance and a frightful 40 minutes from No. 16 seed East Tennessee State to advance with a 72-62 win on Friday.
Pitt’s massive center DeJuan Blair bullied his way inside for 27 points and 16 rebounds as the Panthers (29-4) managed to extend their season, which with a little more than four minutes left was in jeopardy of ending sooner than they ever imagined.
“We survived,” Blair said.
ETSU (23-11), a small college tucked in the rolling hills of northeast Tennessee, nearly pulled off the shocker of shockers.
A No. 16 has never beaten a No. 1.
“We had them,” senior guard Kevin Tiggs said. “We just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Okla. State 77, Tennessee 75
Byron Eaton found a clear path to the basket for a three-point play with 7.2 seconds left, lifting the Cowboys (23-11).
Tennessee (21-13) got caught flat-footed, allowing Eaton to drive the lane untouched. Tyler Smith came in late and unsuccessfully tried to block the shot, which fell through the net.
Smith had a chance to win it for Tennessee, but his jumper from behind the arc hit the side of the rim and bounced up to the top of the backboard as the buzzer sounded. Smith led all scorers with 21 points.
Xavier 77, Portland St. 59
BOISE, Idaho — C.J. Anderson scored 14 points and Xavier (26-7) shot 54 percent to reach the second round for the third straight year.
